Natural short term cycle or evidence of long term temperature rise?

Thursday, August 15, 2013

One thing about us scientific types, we are sticklers for accuracy. Randy Lyons tells us that the polar ice cap is melting, but he does not say which one. There are two on the planet. The one surrounding the North Pole has been the subject of controversy ever since the IPCC postulated that anthropogenic global warming was melting it. However, this has been in dispute because satellite imagery fails to reveal whether this is part of a natural short term cycle or evidence of long term global temperature rise.

There is strong evidence that the other polar ice cap at the South Pole is growing. Regarding the advance/retreat of glaciers, this is a function of precipitation as much as temperature. The drying up of reservoirs is often related to irresponsible overuse of water by local populations such as what occurred in the Aral Sea (really a lake) in Kazakhstan, and many lakes in Africa. Thus, my comment about uncertainty.

The appearance/disappearance of oceanic islands is related to geologic factors more than water levels. Water seeks its own level and ocean rise would not be isolated to a couple of remote sites.

Another thing about scientists is that “all-but-unanimous agreement” is a meaningless concept to us. This is especially true when valid scientific findings refute the unscientific approach taken by the IPCC in developing its flawed models, but are rejected by those having a vested interest in the U.N. study. Many authors of this study represented developing countries that sought financial damages from the U.S. and other developed countries that they perceived harmed them by emitting CO2.

The most compelling argument against anthropogenic global warming is the historical record that clearly shows that global temperatures have risen well before increases in atmospheric CO2 levels. In other words, global temperature increases cause increases in atmospheric CO2 levels, not the other way around. This phenomenon is well understood ... it is the outgassing of dissolved oceanic CO2 caused by rising ocean temperatures.

Lastly, be assured that I certainly do not object to fighting western wildfires because they were caused by natural causes. We can make a difference in the case of wildfires. However, destroying our economy in a futile attempt to fight natural global temperature change is a fool’s errand.